Challenges Faced by Renova Energy

Renova Energy, a solar integrator, based in Palm Desert, California, faced several challenges in maintaining and cleaning solar panels for their customers. Renova Energy’s customers are in a desert climate and are surrounded by many golf courses, which leads to rapid accumulation of dust and debris on solar panels, thus greatly reducing the productivity of the solar panels. Traditional cleaning methods, involving technicians manually washing panels with backpacks and small pressure hoses on roofs, were dangerous, slow, inefficient, and for customers with tile roofs this often led to broken tiles. This was costly, had a very negative impact on customer experience, and required Renova Energy to return to the jobsite to repair the tile roof at their expense.

Why Lucid Bots Was the Best Solution

Renova Energy is a very technology-driven company that has started exploring options to improve its cleaning and maintenance service. Lucid Bots emerged as the best option based on its industry-leading drone technology, dependability, and exceptional customer service during and after the sale. 

Solution: Lucid Bots' Sherpa Drone

Renova saw an immediate impact from the Sherpa drone, as it reduced the risk of damaging customer roofs, significantly reduced the cleaning time per solar panel system allowing them to drive more revenue, and allowed for a more thorough and effective cleaning process, resulting in less time on site and a better customer experience, especially in strict HOAs.

Driven By Data

The introduction of the Sherpa spraying drone led to a dramatic increase in efficiency and customer satisfaction for Renova Energy. Cleaning time for an average solar panel system of 35 modules was reduced from 45-60 minutes to a mere 20 minutes, including customer interaction. This efficiency allows Renova to serve more customers daily, reduce water usage, and avoid roof damage, leading to increased revenue, cost savings, and an enhanced customer experience. “The fact that we can just get in and out of there provides a much better customer experience, overall for our customer. We're just there 20 minutes, we're not there an hour. That's great service for them.”

Customer Quotes Highlighting Outcomes

Scott Perez, Chief Experience Officer at Renova Energy, praised the Sherpa spraying drone solution, noting, "It's incredible how much more efficient we're noticing that we are...We're able to hit more appointments and give that peace of mind to our customer that we're not damaging their roof." He also highlighted the importance of the partnership with Lucid Bots, emphasizing the ongoing support and shared commitment to success, "We weren't just buying a drone. We're kind of buying a relationship also with Lucid Bots...for me, that was the most important part."

Conclusion: A Future of Innovation and Expansion

Renova Energy sees the integration of Sherpa spraying drones as a significant step towards leveraging technology to enhance service delivery and customer satisfaction. stating, “We're looking to expand this fleet even bigger, to be honest, because it is time-saving for us. It's also a great customer experience.” The company also plans to expand its operations from Palm Desert and Tucson into more southwestern territories. The case of Renova Energy demonstrates how innovative solutions can address specific business challenges, drive operational efficiency, drive more revenue while also reducing operation costs, and create better customer experiences.